Making Zov's Jumble Cookies

Executive Pastry Chef Michelle Bracken prepares Zov's Jumble Cookies as part of the Home cooking with OC Chefs series. CURT NORRIS, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

VIDEO: Michelle Bracken Makes Zov's Bestselling Jumble Cookies

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Pastry chef Michelle Bracken says the Jumble Cookies at Zov's Bistro & Bakery in Tustin are so popular that some days she ends up making three or four batches. Bracken has been the executive pastry chef at Zov's for more than 15 years. She says one reason the cookies are so adored is their high ratio of goodies (nuts, chocolate and raisins) to flour.

She and her two children (a son, 17, and daughter, 13) live in Fountain Valley. Her family loves these cookies, too. So she ends up making these big beauties at home as well as work.

Zov's Jumble Cookies

Yield: about 20 (4-inch) cookies

1 3/4 cups whole almonds

1 1/2 cups pecan halves (see cook's notes)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

10 ounces (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 (12-ounce) package Hershey's dark chocolate chips

2 cups raisins (see cook's notes)

Parchment paper or nonstick vegetable-oil cooking spray

Cook's notes: The dough freezes well unbaked, so you can prepare it up to seven days before baking and freeze it airtight (defrost in refrigerator overnight). Once baked, cookies keep for up to three days if tightly sealed; after three days they become softer. The cookies are fantastic for shipping. For this recipe, measure nuts whole before you toast them. But it's easier to chop the nuts after they are toasted. Dried cherries or dried cranberries can stand in for the raisins.

Procedure:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on a heavy, rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown and fragrant, about 11 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time to ensure that the nuts brown evenly. Transfer nuts to a cutting board to cool completely. Place the pecans on the same baking sheet and bake until golden brown and fragrant, about 8 minutes, stirring halfway through the baking time to ensure that the pecans brown evenly. Cool the pecans completely. Coarsely chop the almonds and pecans; set the nuts aside. Maintain the oven temperature.

2. Stir flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Set the flour mixture aside. 3. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and brown sugar in the mixing bowl until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. With the machine on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated (do not overmix the dough or the cookies will be tough). Mix in the chocolate chips and raisins. Lastly, mix in the chopped nuts.

4. Line 4 heavy, large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using 1/2 cup of dough for each cookie, mound the dough atop the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly and forming 5 mounds on each baking sheet (Bracken uses a 4-ounce ice cream scoop). With the palm of your hand lightly press down on the cookie dough to flatten slightly. Working in batches, bake the cookies until they are golden brown all over and the very center is still pale golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.

Executive Pastry Chef Michelle Bracken prepares Zov's Jumble Cookies as part of the Home cooking with OC Chefs series. CURT NORRIS, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Executive Pastry Chef Michelle Bracken prepares Zov's Jumble Cookies at Cathy Thomas' home as part of the Home cooking with OC Chefs series. CURT NORRIS, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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